Loom



March 14, 1939 w H BAKER 2,150,668

LOOM

Filed April 15, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 V INVENTOR.

March 14, 1939. w BAKER 2,150,668

LOOM

Filed April 15, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

March 14, 1939. w H BAKER 2,150,668

LOOM v Filed April 15, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR.

March 14, 1939. w. H. BAKER ,6

LOOM

Filed April 15, 1955 5 Sh'ee'ts-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

March 14, 1939. w. H. BAKER 2,150,668

' LOOlVl Filed April 15, 1935 5 sheets-sheet .5

INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES LOOM William Henry Baker, Montreal, Quebec,

Canada Application April 15, 1935, Serial No. 16,423

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements designed to increase the efliciency of looms, more especially automatic looms that have been equipped with shifting shuttle boxes, as described in my application for Letters Patent Serial #652343. The invention pertains to an improved feeler mechanism designed to operate successfully with all grades of filling yarns whether spun directly on loom bobbins, or rewound on special 10 bobbins after the spinning operation.

My invention further relates to arrangements, and combinations of parts which are hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

15 In the accompanying drawings;

Fig. 1 is a front general View of the new filling feeler mounted in place on the back of the lay.

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the filling feeler contacting a full bobbin.

Fig. 4 is like Fig. 3 with the feeler contacting a depleted bobbin.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the feeler indicating mechanism mounted on the breast beam of the 5, loom.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the train of actuator levers.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary View like Fig. '7 with the indicator parts enlarged in the normal or running position.

Fig. 9 is like Fig. 8 showing the indicating parts in the abnormal or indicating position.

Fig. 10 is a cross section of the latch finger elevating mechanism taken on line 13-13 Fig. 9.

The new filling feeler described and shown in the accompanying drawings is of the penetrating type. The indication is actuated when the penetrating point contacts the relatively hard surfaceof the bobbin through the last few convolutions of yarn on the bobbin when the filling is exhausted to a predetermined extent. This feeler can be used in any position desired with suitable arrangements to utilize the feeling 45 action, and the various elements of the mechanism can be changed without departing from the spirit of the invention, but a preferred form is here shown and described. An important fea-- ture of this invention is a feeler of this class mounted vertically, and entirely mechanically operated. Another feature is the use of a penetrating feeler on the moving lay. Still another feature is the swinging hood or protector to prevent the penetrating member from contacting 55 the yarn, the bobbin or the metal rings on the bobbin or any exposed parts of the shuttle when the same is improperly boxed, until the yarn is nearly spent or run out. Another feature is the lateral swinging of a mechanical feeler on its support to prevent the penetrating point from cutting the filling on the bobbin, if and when the shuttle is moved a short distance endwise under the influence of the picker and box guide when the box motion operates to shift the shuttle boxes, and a spring to replace the feeler after the box motion has moved the shuttle and filling bobbin away from contact with the feeler.

In the drawings Figs. 1 and 2, H3 is the back of the lay on a loom fitted with shifting shuttle box motions, as described. Ed is a bracket or mounting for the feeler attached thereto at one extremity, and having another bracket Bl with a bearing @2 at the other extremity, in which the fulcrumed bed or base 63 of the feeler is fitted. A projection or. journal 64 on the bed turns in the fulcrum, and is held in position by the nuts and lock Washer 65, all shown clearly in Fig. 2. On the bracket 6! resides a suitable spring socket 65A within which is a chamber 65 for the spring 61 and a plunger 68 mounted to transmit the urge of the spring 61 to the feeler base 63 to replace the feeler to the normal position against the adjusting screw stop 69, if the feeler has been turned on the journal 64 by movement endwise of the shuttle s and bobbin in the shuttle box with the feeler point imbedded in the filling at the time that the boxes change. The frame it of the feeler is fastened to the bed 63 by a bolt H through adjusting slots in the feeler for adjustment toward and away from the bobbin in the shuttle. In the feeler frame 18 slides the movable part or body of the feeler 12. This body is adapted to slide in the guides 73 andl' l. The guide 73 is made integral with the feeler frame it, but the guide M can be adjusted for wear as shown, and is: held in position by the screws 75 and it. The round extension on the body 72 shown as ll forms a holder for the main spring 18 Figs. 1 and 2, and passes through the extension 19 on the guide it, as an additional guide and support to the feeler body. This spring 78 provides the necessary tension to press the parts against the filling during the process of feeling. At one extremity of the body 12 is a smooth surface 80 to contact the filling on on the bobbin 84' as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. 6'5."

As long as there is sufficient filling on the bobbin, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 no indicating movement is derived from the feeler, but when the bobbin is denuded to a predetermined extent as shown in Fig. 4 the spur of the penetrating member or point 82 comes in contact with the hard surface of the bobbin through the last few convolutions of the filling on the bobbin and the indicating movement is produced. The opposite end of the penetrating member 82 is ofiset as at 85, and impinges on an adjusting screw 86 threaded into the small lever 81 which is hinged at 88 in the feeler body I2, and extends through to the opposite side where it has a boss 89, into which is fastened the striker pin 98. The stop 9| is made integral with the movable feeler body I2 which limits the movement of the lever 81 under the urge of the spring 93. Projecting from one side of the lever 81 is a small projection I82 and a socket 92 is formed on the feeler body I2 to receive the light spring 83 which serves to keep the parts just described in normal position with the point of the penetrating member 82 protruding from the surface 88 for feeling purposes. The striker plate 94 on the post 95 is described elsewhere in this specification. The protector 96 is fulcrumed on the common bolt 88 in the body I2 and so formed to fit around the feeler end 88 to permit a small lateral swinging movement to enable the protector to move laterally a short distance either way thereby accommodating itself to the slight variations in the different bobbins. To prevent the protector from swinging too freely back and forth as the loom runs, a hole 91 Fig. 1 is formed in the feeler body I2 and projections or ears 98 are formed on the protector 96 with parallel surfaces facing inward, and a spring 99 and two balls I88, one on each end of the spring in the hole, are pressed by the spring 99 against the inside of the ears 98 Fig. 2 to cause a slight friction, and the excessive wear due to free swinging of the protector as the loom runs is prevented. V

In the preferred form shown this feeler is mounted on the back of the lay I4 above the shifting shuttle box and adjusted so that the feeler protector 96 will be pressed against the bobbin by the action of the main spring I8 until the yarn is nearly exhausted and thereafter the main feeler body surface 88 will contact the bobbin for a few picks, and the penetrating member 82 will enter between the yielding convolutions of the filling 83 on the bobbin 84 and any additional movement of the shuttle and bobbin toward the feeler will be compensated for by the main spring I8. Should the picker be worn, or for any other cause the shuttle move endwise in the shuttle box after it has arrived, the filling would produce a lateral pressure on the penetration part of the feeler 82 and the whole feeler mass with the bed would turn on the journal 64 causing the feeler to move laterally to a position indicated by the dotted lines I8I Fig. 1. After the shuttle. box operating mechanism has moved the shuttle and filling bobbin therein away from the feeler, the spring 81 and the plunger 68 will move the feeler mass back to the normal position against the adjusting screw stop 69. If there was plenty of filling on the bobbin during this operation of the feeler, no indication would be made, but if the filling was exhausted to a predetermined extent as indicated in Fig. 4, then the penetrating point 82 would contact the hard surface of the bobbin through the remaining co-nvolutions of filling, and this resistance would overcome the spring 93 through the screw 86 and the lever 81 and the striker pin 98 will be moved to strike the striker plate 94 on the post 95, thereby actuating the filling replenishing instrumentalities when the lay passes the front center.

Another important feature of the invention is. the feeler indication transmitter, adapted to take up the indicating movement received from the filling feeler and transmit the same to the filling changing instrumentalities at the opposite side of the loom.

This takes the form of a housing I bolted to a bracket I86 on the feeler side of the loom Figs. 5, 6, '7, 8, Hand 10. Mounted in bearings in this housing I85 is a shaft with the striker plate 94 at the top, and the small lever I81 fastened to same and extending through the slot I88 in the housing to guide and limit the movement of lever III'I. Attached to the lever I81 is a forked shackle I881 in which is threaded, or otherwise held, a small rod I89 which extends to the latch finger lifting device. This lifter is composed of a base I I8 bolted to the bracket I86. Into this base is screwed the guide or fulcrum tube III Fig. 9, and surrounding this tube is the movable member II2. This movable member has an inclined surface II3 which fits against a similar surface II i on the base H8 Figs. 8 and 9. The movable member has an arm .I I5, shown clearly in Fig. 5 to which is attached one end of the connecting rod I89, by which the movable member H2 is moved to cause the inclined plane on same to slide up the inclined plane IM on the base IIIl Fig. 8, to elevate the movable member when feeler indication is affected. The spring IIB within the tube is held at the bottom by a cross pin III in the cavity II 8 in the base III! provided for it, and at the top by a pin II'IA in the specially formed collar or cap II9 Figs. 6 and 10 which fits over the end of the tube III to hold the spring under tension. It is the function of this spring to hold the two main parts of this elevating device together yieldingly and permit their separation when the movable member is elevated by the inclines. On this movable member is a shelf I22 shown clearly in Figs. 5 and 10. Attached to the upright arm I24 Fig. 7 mounted on the cross shaft I25 used to call a bobbin change from the filling changing instrumentalities at the opposite side of the loom (see my United States application hereinbefore referred to) is a latch finger I23. This latch finger I23 is operated by a train of levers, now to be described. Fig. 7 shows this movement originating with the cam 29, the cam follower 39, and the actuator lever 38. This lever is fulcrumed on the loom frame at I26, with the upward extension with the exception of the composite cam unit is described in the above application referred to. There is a knife edged pin or driver I28 shown clearly in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, adapted to contact the latch finger I23 when same is elevated by a feeler actuation. On the side of the latch finger I23 is mounted a small latch or ratchet pawl I 29, shown clearly in Figs. 8 and 9. In Fig. 8 this is shown in the normal position with actuator I21 in its full backward stroke. Fig. 9 shows the latch finger raised into operating position with the actuator in its full forward position, showing the relation of the pawl I29 to the shelf I22 on the movable member II2. In this figure it will be noted that this pawl has slid back over the shelf I22, and dropped down behind same, where it will strike against the edge of the shelf on the return stroke of the actuator I2'I pushing I21, all of which the movable member H2 off the top of the incline I M Fig. 9 thereby replacing all the parts to normal position to await another feeler indication.

The operation of this device is as follows: When a bobbin in a running shuttle has been exhausted to a predetermined extent, the feeler indicates a change. On the next forward beat of the lay, the striker pin 98, on the feeler, strikes the striker plate 94 on the shaft 95. This rotates the shaft slightly, moving the lever I01 set screwed fast to it. Through the shackle 18A the connecting rod I09 is pushed endwise, and the movable member will be turned on its fulcrum causing the part to rise due to the incline or cam surfaces H3 and H4. This movement causes the shelf I22 to raise the latch finger I23 and the parts just described are held quiescent in this position until the actuator again moves forward, when the latch finger will be moved with it, and the cross shaft I25 through the arm I24 will be rotated to call a bobbin change. As the actuator again moves backward the pawl I29 will push the shelf I22 on the movable member H2 off the top of the incline, and the parts includingthe striker plate 94 will be returned to normal position to await another cycle of automatic filling replenishment.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a lay mounted filling feeler in combination, a sliding body normally maintained in filling contacting position, a penetrating member for said body, a filling contacting protector pivoted to said body provided with a slot through which the penetrating member extends, said protector being vibratable transversely of the lay with respect to its pivot and upon filling contact, and means residing in the sliding body in contact with said protector whereby free vibration of the protector is prevented due-to influence of the moving lay,

2. In an automatic loom, a lay, a filling feeler mounted on the lay, a sliding body therefor normally maintained in filling contacting position, a penetrating member for said body, an operatively related stiiker pin pivoted to said body to be actuated upon detection of filling exhaustion by said member, a striker plate on the loom to be actuated by said pin on the forward beat of the lay after detection of filling exhaustion by the aforesaid member, a latch finger and an actuator, and controlling means connected to said plate to move the latch finger into the path of the actuator when the pin strikes the plate.

3. In a loom, a filling feeler, means to support it on the lay including a bracket provided with a stop, a laterally displaceable feeler carrying frame pivoted thereto and normally located against the stop, and yielding means associating said bracket with the frame to replace said frame against the stop in the vent of lateral displacement of said frame.

4. In a loom, a lay, a filling feeler mounted on the lay, a sliding body therefor normally maintained in filling contacting position, filling exhaustion indicating means associated with said body, an additional filling contacting element pivoted to said body to project substantially beyond said means, said element being vibratable with respect to said body upon filling contact and restraining means including friction members associating said element with the body whereby free vibration of said element is prevented due to influence of the moving lay.

WILLIAM HENRY BAKER. 

